Annular gasket



March 16, 1965 T. D. NATHAN 3,173,699

ANNULAR GASKET Filed Aug. 24. 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 3 lx 'f2 A 4 3 FIG.4

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25- 4 d c d 4 i ag c o e d 4 o l A 5 6 1 7 d d a l j R Q IO ZYIYIEVITIAN AT TORNE Y March 16, 1965 T. D. NATHAN 3,173,699

ANNULAR GASKET Filed Aug. 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .n 5l" a55 INVENTOR. TRACY D NA BY Z ATTORNEY United States Patent o 3,17 3,6% ANNULAR GASKET Tracy D. Nathan, Cuyahoga Falls, Ghia, assigner to Hamilton Kent Manufacturing Co., Kent, Ohio, a corporation of hio Filed Aug. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 219,318 8 Claims. (Cl. 277-20@ This invention relates to an annular gasket of elastomeric material of the type used between an inner and outer section of pipe, such as a bell and spigot joint. It is designed more particularly for use in a pipe carrying a liquid under pressure, but may be used where the liquid is not under pressure; and in wet surroundings, as in a swamp, etc., it can be used advantageously in a pipe carrying either a gas or a liquid.

The body of the gasket usually tapers from a smaller radial thickness at 4the front to la greater radial thickness at the rear. At the rear are two annular tapering lips, one adapted to be pressed into contact with each of the respective opposing surfaces of the pipe sections. There are several annular openins spaced at intervals through the body of the gasket. These openings have curved walls, the rear one usually having a shorter axis parallel to the pipe surfaces than perpendicular thereto and the other openings usually being genertly circular in cross section. The inner and outer walls of the gasket are corruga-ted, with a projection on each side of the rear opening and preferably also on each side of each of the other openings to apply pressure to the openings as the gasket is tightened between pipe sections.

At the forward end of each of the tapering lips--where it is joined to the body of the gasket-there is a depression in the gasket which facilitates the outward ilexing of the lips. To the rear of Athis depression each lip is quite thick and their inner surfaces are very close to one another, i.e. they are substantially in contact. These surfaces fl-are outwardly -to the rear, forming a mouth leading into an annular opening in the gasket immediately in front of these thick portions of the lips. When the gasket is squeezed, air escapes from this opening out through the mouth. The lips taper backwardly from these thick portions to substantial knife edges at their rear. As will be explained, either the outer or inner surface of the gasket is intended to be positioned against the wall of one of the pipes before the pipes are brought together. and Ithe outside surface of the lip ou this side of the gasket is substantially in line with the taper of the wall of the body of the gasket. 0n the other surface of the gasket the outside surface of the lip is generally parallel to the taper of the wall of the gasket but is offset inwardly.

If the gasket is to be used in some location where the forward end abuts a radial Wall, this forward end is preferably flat. Otherwise, it is preferably rounded.

When the gasket is in use and liquid pressure is directed from the rear of the gasket against 'the lips, the liquid enters the mouth between the lips `and spreads them against the walls of the pipe sect-ions. Also, the squeezing pressure of the pipes on the body of the gasket immediately in front of the lips causes the lips to tiene outward.

If the pipe is carrying a liquid under pressure the lips are directed toward the interior of the pipe. However, if the pipe is laid in swampy ground or other surroundings where it will be subjected to hydrostatic pressure, the lips are directed toward the exterior of the pipe to exclude the water, and in this case the pipe may be used for conveying a. gas or a liquid.

The invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a cross section of a wider form of the gasket with a rounded forward end;

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FIGURE 2 is a cross section of a truncated form of the gasket with a blunt forward end;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 lare cross sections which show the gasket in FIGURE l being squeezed into sealing relation between two pipe sections;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section of two pipe sections and a gasket similar to that shown in FIGURE l but with a blunt forward end, with the gasket positioned in an offset against a locating wall of one of the pipe sections before the sections are brought together;

FIGURE 7 is a cross ysection of the same ater the pipes have been brought together;

FIGURE 8 is a cross section of a truncated form of the gasket with a blunt end in a recess in a pipe with the lips of the gasket directed toward the interior of the pipe, before the pipe sections have been brought together;

FIGURE 9 is a cross section of the same after the pipe sections have been brought together; and

FIGURES 10 yand l1 are identical with FIGURES 8 j and 9, except that the lips of the gasket are directed away from the interior of the pipe.

The drawings show the concrete pipe section 1 provided with a bell 2 and metal ring 3; and the concrete pipe section 4 provided with a spigot S and metal shroud 6. The inner pipe section tapers at in approaching the spigot T he gaskets can be used between a concrete bell and concrete spigot; `and alternatively the pipes need not be provided with a bell and spigot but may be of other suirtable construction.

The truncated type of gasket shown in FIGURE 2 is identical with that shown in FIGURE 1 except that the rounded forward end is omitted and the opening nearest the lips is circular instead of oval in cross section. It is desirable to round the forward end if the gasket is to be seated in a joint such as shown in FIGURES 3 to 5 where one pipe wall tapers at 7 toward the other pipe wall.

The inner and outer walls of the gasket usually taper toward the front to facilitate the telescoping of two pipes over the gasket. As shown in FIGURE S, the rounded forward end 10 is designed to be located between the tapering portion 7 of the pipe and the bell 2 (each shown as covered with metal).

There are three annular openings 12, 13 and 14 in the gasket of FIGURE l. In the truncated form, one of these openings is omitted. The number of openings is not critical. The openings are small so that when the gasket is compressed in use, and the air or gas entrained in the openings leaks out, the gasket will still be compressed. The forward openings are preferably circular in cross section, and the rear opening is preferably oval with the axis which is parallel to the pipe surfaces advantageously shorter than the axis perpendicular thereto. The walls of the gasket are corrugated with projections 16, 17 and i8 opposite the respective openings so that when the gasket is squeezed between the pipes, pressure is concentrated on the openings. Other projections are shown between the numbered projections. Whether or not there :are such other projections and the number is not critical, but their presence permits a desirable spacing of the openings with more uniform pressure on the gasket walls than if they were not present. As shown in FIGURE 5, the projections are shifted somewhat forward of the openings in the final stage of the compression `of the gasket.

It is often desirable to provide positioning means in the pipe to iix the final position of the gasket which may be shifted between the pipes as they are telescoped over it. FIGURES 3-5 show a positioning member 25 welded to the bell ring 3. In a concrete pipe a positioning member may be cast in the pipe.

`this opening 32, the Vlips are flared out.

Y u Referltingto FIGURES 3 to 5, the gasket is rst posi` tioned against the outer pipe section, with the outer surface of the lip 27 against the surface of th1s section..

The` tip. of thelip 27 ,is ,engaged by the positioning mem-` ber 25 and this" prevents thegasket from'creeping as the4 pipe sections .are movedinto their finalposition.. .Lips 27' ',afnd ,28,aresubstantiaily identical, although lnitialiy the:

outer surface of the lip 28 is offset inwardly from the .-.tapering sur face of the gasket, and doesnotflare out. as` ,.muchas'thelip 27 which lies flush against the bell rlng 3. As thelpipesare .advanced into telescoping position they.apply pressureto the projections 16,17, 1 5, etc. of

the gaskeuand the openings 12, V13 and 14 are gradually v flattene-d. `I lieuoval opening 1 2 is squeezed, first until it is substantially circular in cross section (FIGURE 4),

, andthen itis flattened to anlovalwith the long axis parallel to the pipe surfaces (FIGURE 5i). As this opening `Vlis attened, Ythe lips.27 ,and 28 are flared out. They each,

tapertoward the top from `a ,broader portion near the place that .they are joined to the body of the gasketu kWhere they jointhe body there is a depression 30 in leach-wall, and a generally circular mouth 31 between ,..thelipssofthat the. lips narrow sharply to the attachment thereof to the body portion of the gasket.

As pressure is applied, the mouth is first closed, and

Athen opening 32 which opens into the mouth is liattened as the `air is squeezedout `of it. As the `body of the gasket `is `squeezed intothetspace formerly occupied by The increasingr pressure on projections 16, 16 opposite vopening 12,

`.progressivelyilattens this opening, and this also flares the 'lips into ever tighter Contact with the pipe surfaces. Kthe Abodyof-the gasket is squeezed, its bottoni surface 1s brought intosubstantial alignmentwith the bottom surfacey of the lip 28, (FIGURES 4 and 5.)

When finally drivenhome, the gasket formsjatight seal. `Liquid under pressure vinthe pipe (which may be as high as 250.pounds per square inch) enters the. mouth between the lipsand spreads the lips againstthe pipe surfaces, making the seal tight. The Contact of the gasket withthe wallsat the spacedprojections 16, 17, lretc.,

formsa tighter. seal, than is possible .by continuous contact InFIGURES ..6 v.and 7 thegasket40 is similar to that l shown in FIGURE 1, .except that the frontend 41 of the `-gasketvis fiat and abuts thepositioning wall A42, .the rear opening 43 is circular. in cross section instead of being elongated, and because. the gasket is initially positioned on the inner pipe section it is the outer surface of the lip 47 .thatis offset inwardly from the tapering outline yof the body of the gasket.

WhereasinFIGURES 3 to 5 the gasket surfaces taper away from the opening between the two pipe sections so 4that when the pipe sections are brought together they contact increasingly wider portions kof the gasket, in FIGURES 6 and 7 as the surfaces of the pipe sections 4S and 46 are brought together the first Contact with the gasket is made at its wider or rear portion. instead of the lips 47 and 48 facing away from the approaching pipe thestapering outer surface of the gasket and the lip 47 doesnot' ma 1kethe first contact with the pipe section 46, butjthehrst.contactis-made with the widest portion of the bodyofthegasket. Thus, the-lips are not squeezed together as theiirst pressure is applied, but the squeezing ofthe body of the gasket causes the lips to iarelandV the tip of the 4lip.47 is brought into contact with the pipe section 46. Reduction of the size of the openings Vi1 and 49 assists in causing the lips to flare out. As the pipe sections are brought to their final positions, shown in FGURE 7, Vthe outward pressure of the lips against the pipe surfaces increases.

After the pipe sections are nal'ly brought to their final position the pressure of the lips/i7 and 48 against the sections 45 and 46 is such that any liquid seeping out of the joint between the two pipe sections and entering the mouth of the gasket between the two lips 47 and 48 causes them tobe brought into ever tighter Contact with the pipe sections, forming a very tight seal.

In FIGURES 8 and 9 a truncated form of gasket is illustrated. The lips 50 and 51 are directed toward the interior of the pipe, as in the prior figures, to make a joint which prevents loss of liquid from within the pipe. Before assembling the two pipe sections 52 and 53, the gasket is inserted in the recess 54 in the outer surface of the portion of the pipe section 52 which is the section of smaller diameter. T he flat head 5S of the gasket abuts the end wall 56 of the recess, and the surface of the lip 51 is iiush against the bottom of the recess.

As the pipe sections are brought together, the first contact of the section 53 with the gasket is not at the lip Si), but at the widest section of the gasket. As the pipe sections are brought closer together the gasket is squeezed tighter 4and tighter between them. Even under the greatest pressure the body of the gasket is thicker than the depth of the recess. As the pressure on the gasket is increased, the lip 56 flares outward making tight sealing contact .with thetapering surface 58 of the section 53.

Vlhen the pipe sections have reached their finai position, as shown in FIGURE 9, the openings 61 ,and 62 are elongated, so that when a-ir is eventually lost `from them there is only slight reduction in the pressure the bodyiof the gasket is'under. The lip 50 does not make contact with Y the corner 63 at the edge of the recess 54, so that liquid Y from within the pipe passes between the corner .63` of the pipe andthe lipStl into the mouth of the gasket and exerts outward pressure lagainst the lips forcing ltheir outer surfaces Iinto tight contact .with the surfaces of the sections 52 and 53. l

In FIGURES 10 and 11, the same two pipe sections are shown, but the position of the gasket is reversed to prevent the entrance ofrliquid into the pipe. The blunt end 55 of the gasket is :against the wall .64 of the positioning-recess 54. As the pipe sections 52 and 53 are brought together the section 53 contacts the outwardly tapering wall of the body of the gasket, exerting pressure'on this before contact is made with the lip 50. As pressure is applied to the wall of the gasket the openings 61 and 62 are reduced in size and the lips 50 and 51 flare outward. The -lip 51 is in contact with the bottom of the recess 64'when the gasket is put in the recess, before any pressure is applied, and eventually the lip 50 contacts the section `53 as the section 52 is telescoped into it. .Before `the two pipe sections reach their final position shown in FIGURE 11, the outer surface of the lip 50 has been flared into tight contact with the tapering surface 58 of the pipe section S3. When liquid under pressureenters the pipe joint from the area surrounding the pipe, it enters the .mouth of the gasket between thetwo lips, and forces the lips into ever tighter contact with the pipe surfaces, making a tight seal.

In each of `the drawings, there are openings in the body of the gasket and the surfaces of the gaskets .are corrugated with projections opposite the several openings. There is acircu-lar opening between the lips, where they join the bodyV of the gasket. These partsv of the gasket functionl the same in each case, even though not specifically described in connection with each of the different embodiments of the invention.

The drawings show the gasket, when originally applied to a pipe section, yas being pressed against it with suflicient pressure to flatten the adjacent lipsurface against it. This and the lip need :not lie fiat against the pipe surface. Furthermore, although the opposite surfaces of the gasket preferably taper toward the front of the gasket, actually the surfaces may be parallel or substantially so. The gasket is preferably made of Neoprene, although other elastomeric materials can be used.

The invention is covered in the claims which foilow.

What I claim is:

1. An annular gasket of elastomeric material with a body portion and two lips extending rearwardly from the rear of the body portion, both lips narrowing sharply by depressions on both surfaces at their forward ends where they join the body portion, an opening in the body portion near the lips, and projections on said walls opposite said opening so that when the projections are squeezed the lips are flared outward, each lip tapering from a wide portion immediately to the rear of said depressions to a thin tip at the rear.

2. The gasket of claim 1, the body of which is generally tapering from the front of the gasket to a Wider portion adjacent the lips.

3. The gasket of claim 1 in which there is an annular opening generally circular in cross section where the lips narrow and join the body.

4. An annular gasket with a body portion and two lips extending rearwardly from the rear of the body portion and each terminating in a thin tip, each lip tapering from a wider portion where the lips are almost in Contact to said tips at their rear, the outer surface of one lip being in substantial alignment with the adjacent surface of the body portion, land the outer surface of the other lip being inset from substantial `alignment with the surface of the body portion adjacent to it, there being a depression in the surface of the gasket between said last mentioned outer surface of said other lip and the surface of the body portion adjacent to it.

5. An annular gasket of elastomeric material with a body the inner and outer walls of which taper outwardly from the front of the gasket to outer and inner annular lips at the rear, a small plurality of annular openings enclosed in the gasket spaced from the front to the rear of the gasket, one of said openings being near the lips,

projections on said walls opposite said Ilast mentioned opening so that when the projections are squeezed the lips are flared outward, a depression in each wall separating each lip from the body of the gasket, each llip tapering from a wide portion immediately to the rear of said depression to a thin tip at the rear, said wide portions of the lips forming a mouth between them which widens at its ffront end into a small annular opening the walls of which are flattened into contact with one another when the gasket is compressed.

6. The gasket of claim 5 in which with respect to the rear annular opening which is near the lips, the axis which is substantially parallel to the gasket walls is shorter than the axis perpendicular thereto.

7. The gasket of claim 5 in which the front end is rounded, there are three enclosed openings in the gasket, the two forward ones being substantially cylindrical and with respect to the other the axis parallel to the gasket Walls is shorter than the axis perpendicular thereto, and there is a projection in each Wall opposite each of said enclosed openings, and one projection between each two of said projections.

8. The gasket of claim 5 in which the surfaces of said projections on the outer surface of the gasket Alie substantially in one plane, and the surfaces of said projections on the inner surface of the gasket lie substantially in one plane, said planes being nearer one another `at the front of the body of the gasket than at the rear thereof, the outer surfaces of the two lips flaring outwardly toward the rear, said surface of one of said lips lying generally in one of said planes, and said surface of the other lip being offset inwardly from the other plane.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 853,900 Saunders May 14, 1907 2,177,438 Miller Oct. 24, 1939 2,259,940 Nathan Oct. 21, 1941 FGREIGN PATENTS 1,150,1'134 France ian. 13, 1958 

1. AN ANNULAR GASKET OF ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL WITH A BODY PORTION AND TWO LIPS EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE REAR OF THE BODY PORTION, BOTH LIPS NARROWING SHARPLY BY DEPRESSIONS ON BOTH SURFACES AT THEIR FORWARD ENDS WHERE THEY JOIN THE BODY PORTION, AN OPENING IN THE BODY PORTION NEAR THE LIPS, AND PROJECTIONS ON SAID WALLS OPPOSITE SAID OPENING SO THAT WHEN THE PROJECTIONS ARE SQUEEZED THE LIPS ARE FLARED OUTWARD, EACH LIP TAPERING FROM A WIDE PORTION IMMEDIATELY TO THE REAR OF SAID DEPRESSIONS TO A THIN TIP AT THE REAR. 